Marvell 88E8053, sky2, and netdev

[RaXeT]

Rob Andrews wrote:

>On 01-Dec-2005 10:56.49 (GMT), Nathan Grennan wrote:
> >   I have a MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum motherboard. It includes a Marvell
> > 88E8053 ethernet controller. From what I see online it seems the right
> > driver is the sky2 driver. I see hints that it was in the netdev.2
> > package, but seems to be missing from the netdev.3 package. Has it been
> > removed from netdev? Is it too unstable? Will it be coming back? Is
> > there an alternative?
>
>It's possible that it *is* covered by the sk98lin driver, but not the
>in-kernel tree. SysKonnect have a more recent sk98lin available from
>their site than that in the kernel. It supports the Marvell PCI-E
>gigabit interface I have, at least (whereas skge & in-kernel sk98lin do
>not).
>
>I do note that sk98lin is not being built in the rawhide kernel package
>(I don't have an FC4 box to hand so I can't tell if it's being built for
>that), but skge is. It could be a small matter of adding the PCI IDs to
>the skge driver to get it working. I'll try it once I have a spare moment
>  
>
What is the deal with the kernel tree being minus a functioning 
SysKonnect driver
in the PCI-E gigabit series for this Marvell ethernet controller? I 
haven't seen a working
dev kernel driver in two years. In fact, I have to download from this site:
http://www.syskonnect.de/syskonnect/support/driver/htm/sk9elin.html
a patch to the kernel to get mine to work. This has been the most 
frustrating portion
of kernel dev in recent memory. I can never use the daily _FC5 dev kernels
and get the _FC5 driver to recognize the on board card.

Apparently SysKonnect isn't willing to write a stable driver for the 
kernel dev team to
sign off on and incorporate. Very annoying. I have even fussed and fumed 
at the
SysKonnect dev team over this to no end. They just don't care. They'll 
placate you
with, "we're trying real hard to get a stable driver. " Yeah right. :)

So enjoy downloading and patching your net driver from SysKonnect. I'm a 
pro! :)

Frank Jacobberger